PG&E to pay out 425-million dollars to customers

Last Update: 10/22 12:35 am 

We are learning more about just how much money you can expect to get back from PG&E when it begins to issue refunds.

The utility says it overcharged its customers by 425-million dollars, and refunds could come as soon as November or December.

Customers who used an average of 850 kilowatts per month would get about 60-dollars back, while those who used 15-hundred kilowatts per month, would see as much as 230 dollars.

Denny Boyles with the PG&E office in Bakersfield hopes the refunds will restore customers trust in the company.

"I hope that we are able to restore customers confidence in us." Said Boyles.

The summer months are behind us but in the winter people are going to see a spike in their heating costs."

Boyles says PG&E is working to educate, and inform customers about possible rate hikes, and how to properly use a smart meter.

But for Shafter Senator Dean Florez enough hasn't been done to protect the customer.
"There is reason to believe, and I think it's correct that energy costs got higher, that combined with a rate increase gave us not just two times, but three of four times our normal bills, and I think that's unfair." said Florez.

Florez also says the refunds are coming too late, and don't address the key issues.

He says the smart meters along with rate increases are to blame for customers excessive bills, and has pushed for the California Public Utilities Commission to test the smart meters for their accuracy.

PG&E's representative in Bakersfield says if smart meters are found to be inaccurate, the company would refund customers money for any over-charging.
But with the CPUC just beginning testing on the meters, it could be sometime before we know whether any other refunds are coming.

http://www.kget.com/news/local/story/PG-E-to-pay-out-425-million-dollars-to-customers/7iNNYleRoki7_u9KFUrLgw.cspx